Tenth to benjamin-fagn ant



(No Model.)

J. G. GHASSE.

AUTOMATIC RAILROAD SWITCH.

Patented De0.19, 1882.

INVENTOR.

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UNITED STATES JOSEPH Gr. OHASSE, OF SPRINGFIELD,

PATENT OFFICE.

MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- TENTH TO BENJAMIN FAGNANT, OF'SAMEPLACE.

AUTOMATIC RAILROAD-SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 269,259, dated December19, 1882.

' Application filed January25,1882. No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOSEPH Gr. GHASSE, ofSpringfield, in the county of llampden and I State of Massachusetts,have invented new and useful Improvements in AutomaticRailroad-Switches, of which the followingis aspecitication, referencebeing had to the accompanyingdrawings and letters of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specificaro tion.

The object of my invention is to provide a means whereby a railroadswitch may be operated by the engineer of a moving train.

111 the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of referenceindicate like parts, Figure l is a plan view of a section of track,showing the position of the switchlevers and cables. Fig. 2 is a sideview of the same. Fig. 3 is a view indicating the relative position ofthe lever on the engine and the switch-lever 1), and Fig. 4 is a view ofthe switch-loeking device.

-In the drawings, h h represent the rails of the main track, and g g therails of the side track. The lever b is located at the-side of thetrack, and but a short distance from it, but at a considerable distancefrom the switch. This lever is pivoted on the support If, and is aboutthe length of a rail. The free end of the lever nearest the track swingsoutward when the lever from the engine comes in contact with it. To thefree end of the-lever b the cable a is attached, which, passing over thepulleys e and f, is attached to the free end of the switch- 5 rails. Ashort section of cable, 0, is attached to the main cable a a shortdistance back from the pulleyf, and, passingoverthe pulleyj, is attachedto the arm 0 of the switch-lock. A lever, 61, is arranged on the engine,to be operated in any convenient manner, the lower part of it projectingdownward and outward, so that it may be brought in contact with thelever b. If now a train be moving in the direction of the arrow, theengine being provided with the lever d, and it is desired that theswitch be moved to carry the train on the side track, g, then thelever dis moved to carry the lower projecting end in such position that it willcome in contact with the lever I) nearrits ful- 5o crum. It will be seenthat as the engine moves in thedirection of the arrow the free end ofthe lever 11 will be moved outward until the lever is nearly parallelwith the track, and as the cable is attached to the free end of thelever I) it will be moved the same distance the the cable, beingattached to the free end ofthe switch-rails, will move the switch therequisite distance to bring the ends of the switch-rails opposite theends of the rails of the side track.

Between and near the free end of the switchrails I place the deviceshown in Fig. 4, which I term the switch Jock. This is pivoted at thecenter, and has the projecting arms at and n, which stand at an angle,as shown, and are of such length that one of them will bear against aswitch-rail and at right angles with it when the switch is set foreither the main or side track. For instance, while the switch is set forthe main line the arm at bears against the rail IL, and, standing-atright angles with it gives a direct bearing, thus preventing any lateralmotion of the switch, and when the switch is set for the side track thearm n will bear against the rail h in the same manner, and thus lock theswitch. This lock is operated by a short cable, 0, which is attached tothe main cable a, and, passing over the pulley j and under or throughthe rails, is connected with the central arm, 0, of the lock. To thisdevice, composed of the members m, n, and 0, (shown specially in Fig.4,) no claim is hereby made, as said device is substantially old.

It will be seen that this device can be arranged to operate any numberof switches, and by its use switches may be opened or closed at will bythe engineer on a moving train.

With this construction there will be no quick motion liable to break theparts, as the lever b may be of any desired length, and, being nearlyparallel with the track, the action of a fast-moving train will resultin but a slow motion of the free end of the lever b and of the switch.

Having therefore described my invention, what I claim as new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is-- A lever, 1), cable a, pulleysfe, incombination with the rails and an engine provided with means to move thelever I), substantially as shown, for the purposes stated.

JOSEPH G. CHASSE.

Witnesses:

ALLEN WEBsTEE, J. W. HERsEY.

end of the lever moves, and the other end of

